#taino tribe

[sakuramisthaven]

cute photo and lore dump!

This hollow woods update is making me think of Sakura's background. I always thought of her as Hispanic and Native American, [because that's what I am] Unspecified tribe though, I never thought of it[so many options]. I'm thinking about making her Native Jorvenian! Especially because she lives in Jorvik full-time as a stable hand. I want her to have a connection to the druids, without fully being one. And I think being a native of the land, also her home being somewhat close to Starshine Ranch fits well.

I love my horse girl oc, so im happy i get to flesh her out further. Also is Jorvenian even the right word. idk, please feel free to correct me and poke me about the lore

[cosmicdog99]

[reconnecting]

rambling dont mind me

[neechees]

Historical Indigenous Women & Figures [6]:

Queen Nanny: the leader of the 18th century Maroon community in Jamaica, she led multiple battles in guerrilla war against the British, which included freeing slaves, and raiding plantations, and then later founding the community Nanny Town. There are multiple accounts of Queen Nanny's origins, one claiming that she was of the Akan people from Ghana and escaped slavery before starting rebellions, and others that she was a free person and moved to the Blue Mountains with a community of Taino. Regardless, Queen Nanny solidified her influence among the Indigenous People of Jamaica, and is featured on a Jamaican bank note. Karimeh Abboud: Born in Bethlehem, Palestine, Karimeh Abboud became interested in photography in 1913 after recieving a camera for her 17th birthday from her Father. Her prestige in professional photography rapidly grew and became high demand, being described as one of the "first female photographers of the Arab World", and in 1924 she described herself as "the only National Photographer". Georgia Harris: Born to a family of traditional Catawba potters, Harris took up pottery herself, and is credited with preserving traditional Catawba pottery methods due to refusing to use more tourist friendly forms in her work, despite the traditional method being much more labour intensive. Harris spent the rest of her life preserving and passing on the traditional ways of pottery, and was a recipient of a 1997 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the highest honor in the folk and traditional arts in the United States. Nozugum: known as a folk hero of the Uyghur people, Nozugum was a historical figure in 19th century Kashgar, who joined an uprising and killed her captor before running away. While she was eventually killed after escaping, her story remains a treasured one amongst the Uyghur. Pampenum: a Sachem of the Wangunk people in what is now called Pennsylvania, Pampenum gained ownership of her mother's land, who had previously intended to sell it to settlers. Not sharing the same plans as her mother, Pampenum attempted to keep these lands in Native control by using the colonial court system to her advantage, including forbidding her descendants from selling the land, and naming the wife of the Mohegan sachem Mahomet I as her heir. Despite that these lands were later sold, Pampenum's efforts did not go unnoticed. Christine Quintasket: also known as "Humishima", "Mourning Dove", Quintasket was a Sylix author who is credited as being one of the first female Native American authors to write a novel featuring a female protagonist. She used her Sylix name, Humishima, as a pen name, and was inspired to become an author after reading a racist portrayal of Native Americans, & wished to refute this derogatory portrayal. Later in life, she also became active in politics, and helped her tribe to gain money that was owed them. Rita Pitka Blumenstein: an Alaskan Yup'ik woman who's healing career started at four years old, as she was trained in traditional healing by her grandmother, and then later she became the first certified traditional doctor in Alaska and worked for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. She later passed on her knowledge to her own daughters. February 17th is known as Rita Pitka Blumenstein day in Alaska, and in 2009 she was one of 50 women inducted into the inaugural class of the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame Olivia Ward Bush-Banks: a mixed race woman of African American and Montaukett heritage, Banks was a well known author who was a regular contributor to the the first magazine that covered Black American culture, and wrote a column for a New York publication. She wrote of both Native American, and Black American topics and issues, and helped sculptor Richmond Barthé and writer Langston Hughes get their starts during the Harlem Renaissance. She is also credited with preserving Montaukett language and folklore due to her writing in her early career.

part [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] Transphobes & any other bigots need not reblog and are not welcome on my posts.

[astraphel]

On October 12, 1492, Columbus arrived on the shores of the Caribbean, the now-called Bahamas, and the Taíno people welcomed him and his crew with respect and great care. Their kindness was repaid with vicious cruelty and enslavement. 

The horrors of genocide left no one untouched on Turtle Island and Abya Yala, but the Taínos were the first to encounter this scourge. There aren't enough people who call them by name and claim a ubiquitous "indigenous peoples" encountered Columbus. 

Know and name the Taíno and the ways they suffered as a result of First Contact. 

And also the ways they have persisted and survived to this day. Check out the United Confederation of Taíno People (UCTP) / Confederación Unida De El Pueblo Taíno (CUPT) as a place to start.

The Taino peoples are not a monolith and include many different tribes and areas.

Image 1: Cristobal Colón, 1893 "La gran batalla que tuvo el almirante con el Rey Guarionex y cien mil indios en la Vega Real" | Wikipedia

Image 2: "Distribución de los arahuacos taínos, caribes y guanahatabeyes en las Antillas, en el tiempo de la llegada de los españoles." | Wikipedia

[magicaguajiro]

Resources for Cuban and Caribbean Folk Magic 🇨🇺

Disclaimer: Cubans are not a monolith so when we say ‘Cuban Folk Magic’ its like saying ‘American Folk Magic’ in the sense that it is a BROAD term that includes multiple different cultural threads and traditions. Start by researching your ancestors and where they were from as a jumping off point.

Also, many of these resources are not Cuban themselves, but they either share the same practices or are academic or general sources. I have made it clear when a source isn’t Cuban. For this reason, I have expanded it to be the Cuban AND Caribbean Folk Magic List.

The List

Creators:

Irka Mateo - Taino - Insta 🇩🇴

Religion.Ancestral.Taino - Insta 🇵🇷

Sancista Brujo Luis - Espiritismo/Taino-Youtube | Blog 🇵🇷

OkaniLuna - Brujería/Taino - Youtube🇩🇴

Juliet Diaz - Brujería/Taino/Author - Instagram 🇨🇺

Sancista 7 Espadas - Espiritismo - Insta 🇵🇷

Odofemi - Regla de Ocha - Tumblr 🇺🇸

Eve the Medium - ATR/Espiritismo - Youtube 🇩🇴

Yeyeo Botanica - ATR/Espiritismo- youtube 🇺🇸

Botanica Candles & More - Great Podcast!! - youtube 🇨🇺 🇺🇸

Connecting w/ Guides and Goals by Adunola - youtube 🇺🇸

Hatuey Museum of Archaeology, Baracoa, Cuba - Taíno archaeologists photos and blog - Link

Florida Memory - Photos and Articles on Folk History of Florida and surrounding areas - Link

Articles

San Lazaro - Wikipedia - Novena - Yeyeo Botanica

Caridad del Cobre - Wikipedia

Orisha and Palo Herbs Directory- Website

Ewe (Herbs) Photo Guide - Website

Pueblo Originario Taino Section - Website

Taino and Agua Dulce essay by Jorge Estevez - Link

Memoir of Florida’s Indigenous People by Hernando Escalante de Fontaneda - Link

Tacachale: Essays on Indigenous Floridians by Milanich and Proctor - Link

Huellas Indigenas en Cuba - Taino Spirituality in Cuban Folk Magic Article - Link

Books:

Taino Library* - Amazing resource for books of all kinds, many books about Taino and Caribbean Spiritualities, Folklores and Songs! Multiple books on Cuban Myths and Folktales! Highly recommend - Website 🇵🇷

Espiritismo by Hector Silva🇩🇴

A Year in White by C Lynn Carr

The Modern Art of Brujería by Lou Florez(VERY BASIC just as a general introduction to what alot of modern Folk Practices look like)

American Brujeria by J. Allen Cross 🇲🇽🇺🇸

El Monte by Lydia Carbera 🇨🇺

Palmetto Country by Stetson Kennedy - Link

Movies and Videos:

Cecilia (1982) - Youtube

Las Profecias de Amanda - Youtube

Susie Jim Billie, Medicine Woman Interview - Link

Proyecto Cuba Indigena - Link

Miguel Sague, Taíno Spirituality - Link

**This list will grow as I find more resources that are reliable enough to share. If you have recommendations or would like to be added, please reach out.

Luz y Progreso 🕯️

(I also have included a Research Guide below the Cut!)

Guide to researching based on your ancestry:

If your family has African roots, you can seek Ocha/Lukumi, Palo, Arara, Cuban Vodou and other African Traditional Religions and Practices. Please approach elders within these respective practices to further your connection to them, rather than using books to create a practice for yourself. These are ancient, community based and are lifelong commitments, not just trendy powerful spells for you to get what you want.

If your family has indigenous roots, research Taino spirituality and modern practices , but also know that there were other tribes in the western and centeral parts of Cuba, with their own languages and traditions you can still learn about like the Guanahatabey. You may also consider joining a Yukayeke, but this isn’t required. Reconnecting and decolonizing is a separate and important topic that is not inherently witchcraft or folk magick-y… HOWEVER, researching and informing yourself with these practices can help you to see their influence within modern folk practices.

If your family has Asian roots, research the buddhist cults and folk practices throughout Cuba! Believe it or not, we also have people of Middle Eastern descent in Cuba who brought with them their own Hindu and Arabic Folk Traditions, which can be found throughout Cuba and the Caribbean as a whole.

If your family has Spanish roots, research some open practices like Espiritismo and Folk Catholicism! Look into the Patron Saints of Cuba, La Virgen de La Caridad del Cobre and San Lazaro. These also tie in to many of the other cultures who were forced to adopt certain elements to ensure survival of their traditions! You can also look into Brujería. Much like modern witchcraft, modern brujería has been commodified to hell and back, but there is still some great knowledge and power to be found there.

The fact of the matter is, that most of us can fit ourselves into two or more of these categories, and this crossover is where Folk Magic is often born. Its also important to note, in alot of these traditions you shouldn’t learn or share certain things at certain times, so some sources who share too much about Ocha and other ATRs should be avoided. Also, I can’t stress how important it is to talk to your family! Ask them about folklore or legends and stories! Also research history and folkore of the specific areas in Cuba your family is from. A-lot of folk magic is incorporated into stories.

Bendiciones, good luck on your Journey!🦎🐊

[bosses-stay-flawless]

The Taino & The Carib tribes are considered the original inhabitants of most of the Caribbean Islands. Article curtesy BBC News.

[krysanthii]

These are my personal headcanons of Olrox’s life as a human. I’ve seen many posts and read fics about what was Olrox’s life before becoming a vampire and I did a little research of life as an Aztec which send me into a rabbit hole.

Without a doubt I think Olrox worked as a government official. Olrox worked under the Emperor Montezuna II or what the Aztec word for emperor was “tlatoani.”

The tlatoani ruled the Capitol of Tenochtitlan and lived in incredible palaces with their family and advisors. Right below the tlatoani were the tecuhtli. The tecuhtli were men of importance and ruled the city-states. They lived in palaces and greatly supported by the people and kept the empire running smoothly.

They helped the production of fields, served as a local military commanders, represent the people of local villages and city states, ambassadors and distribute taxes.

The tecuhtli were very wealthy and had palaces within their cities. They were dressed lavishly wearing jewelry, feathers and gold because they were of the noble class. And wore purple because purple symbolizes nobility.

In which Olrox still wears to this day with gold and emerald earrings, he wears purple and the cuffs of his jacket that have golden braces or runes.

Olrox having been a tecuhtli rings home for me because of the way he carries himself with elegance and swagger. And as a tecuhtli he made contact with the conquistadors. Olrox was probably the only one spoke against Montezuma II to not let these Spanish men into their lands because Montezuma thought of the foreign Spanish men to be gods and wanted to hear them out bringing them into the city to get information from believing they can be allies.

Olrox not a believer gods and easily saw this men on who they were: petty power hungry thieves.

Olrox has an uncanny way of reading people just how he read Mizrak like a joke on a popsicle stick he knew these foreign men’s intention right from the get-go. His plea was over ruled by the tlatoani’s decision to letting these smelly and dirty thieves into their empire.

Olrox holds great resentment towards Montezuma II for letting these foreigners into their lands and slowly watch the erosion of the Aztec empire in a span of a year. Watched as Cortez brought the empire down to their knees through lies and treachery destabilizing the empire from within by targeting other rival tribes of the Aztecs to join him. Turning tlatoani into a puppet emperor and Olrox forced to take orders from a foreign invader through Montezuma II. Forced to bow and placate to these dirty thieves and watch the empire break into a civil war while Cortez orchestrated the breech from within.

Only for Olrox to succumb to small pox. Olrox didn’t die and was turned into a vampire in mid to late 30s. As the empire weakened by the plague Cortez managed to build an army from rival tribes and his own back home and brought in vampires along to the new world.

Olrox having turned to a vampire found he had divinity in his blood that he had Quetzalcoatl’s blood flowing in his veins. As he watch his empire crumble he’d seen others fall too from the Tainos to the Arawak, Mayans, the Aztec and the Incas in a span of a few years.

Olrox honed his powers and speaking with Quetzalcoatl to bring him strength. Worked with the priests and learned magic through their teachings and overtime he manages practice his powers and fought against the invaders. Olrox wasn’t the only human who were turned but many others who were turned into vampires and Olrox became a leader to the newly turned vampires and fought the invaders.

Olrox saw first hand what horrors the Old World has brought to his land and vowed to never make that mistake again. Olrox was invited to France and he knew this time he was ready and had no puppet emperor to get in his way of his resolve. He fully intended to screw over this vampire messiah and had played his cards right. Staying away from the chateaux so he can have a better viewpoint from a safe distance and seducing Mizrak because he was the closest proximity to the Abbot who was a forgemaster creating Night Creatures using the demon machine.

Olrox knows how to identify a megalomaniac when he sees one and Olrox had every intent to screw her over but failed to deduce thag Erzsebet Bathory was not only a megalomanic but she was a megalomanic with the powers of a primordial god to bring down the sun. Olrox over the long centuries he lived did not believe in gods and grandeur because he heard it all before of men’s delusion to be greater than they really are and thought Erzsebet was no different and he miscalculated severely!

Olrox had bowed to many delusional men who thought they were ordained by god or simply higher than other men or far more worthy. He had to placate to their demands, praise them and forced to worship these colonizers and give in to their wishes. Olrox had done that countless of times as a human to bite his tongue and to humble himself. Make himself meek to these colonizers. After he became a vampire he promised himself that he’ll never ever now before a colonizing European.

When Drolta told him to kneel Olrox did as she wishes to bow before Erzsebet— to give her his submission. Olrox had never bowed in almost 300 years and forced to bow again. And this time he promises this will be the last time he ever bowed to anyone again.

[vpgoldenrod]

I'd like to talk about why I hate "Indigenous People's Day." (Trigger warning for sexual violence and body horror.)

It's well meaning, I think. And for the longest I appreciated it. But part of the insidious nature of genocide is that it erases culture, and lumping the over one thousand independent tribes of the Americas as “indigenous peoples,” a broad term for people who existed in a land before they were colonized, does exactly that.

Christopher Columbus was a vile pendejo whose torture and genocide of my ancestors was so disgusting that he was arrested and tried for horrific acts that included live dismemberment, cannibalism and sexual crimes even against children. In 1500 Columbus wrote,

“A hundred castellanoes are easily obtained for a woman as a farm...and there are plenty of dealers who go about looking for girls; those from about nine to ten are now in demand.”

Bartolome de Las Casas was a Spanish priest and contemporary of Columbus who detailed many of his abuses. After watching Columbus and his men dismember, decapitate and otherwise murder over 3,000 Taino people in a single day wrote,

“Such inhumanities and barbarisms were committed in my sight as no age can parallel...My eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature that now I tremble as I write.”

I want day of remembrance for the Iraquios, the Cherokee, the Lenape, the Shawnee. Replacing Thanksgiving with a day of remembrance of the Wampanoag tribe would be a great start, I think.

But the story of Christopher Columbus is the story of the suffering of the Taino, the Arawak, and the Lucayan. Please remember them.

[themakeupbrush]

Miss Charm Puerto Rico 2023 National Costume

Taino Fantasy: "The Birth of Atabey"

Taking as inspiration the painting "The Birth of Venus", Alejandra Pagán presents us with a "Cemí Taíno", a stone sculpture that embodies ancestral spirits of Puerto Rican nature; emerging from the stone as our

Goddess ATABEY.

Mother of the Taínos, a female entity that represents the Earth and all bodies of water, being one of the most Important for the Caribbean tribes, mainly in Borikén

[georgi-girl]

More Trolls Character Fusions

A continuation of my SU inspired Trolls fusion list. Note that when two trolls from the same tribe fuse, they just become a bigger version of their species. When trolls from different tribes fuse, they gain extra limbs and appendages.  

Biggie + Cooper = Big C. A fluffy, muppetesque llama centaur. with four stumpy legs, long furry midsection, and extendible arms. Covered in blue fur with indigo dreadlocks. Always smiling and making jokes. Uses he/him pronouns.  Song style is based on Tiny Tim and Weird Al Yankovic. 

Poppy + Viva = Star. I hope this isn’t presumptuous, but I’m seeing them as friends. The fusion has dark pink skin, star-shaped orange hair, and a white leotard with a blue tutu. Also has stockings with dance slippers. Partly inspired by Rainbow Quartz. Voiced by Selena Lopez. Uses she/her pronouns.  

Reggaeton Trio (Tresillo, Marimba, Tambora) = Taino. Named after the Indigenous people of Puerto Rico. Androgynous features, Pastel body with tie-dye patterns. Uses they/them pronouns. Speaks mostly in Spanish. 

K-Pop Sisters = Korea. Inspired by the five Ruby fusion. Big, shiny, with pastel rainbow hair and an all-white leotard. Uses she/they pronouns. Speaks mostly in Korean. 

Branch + Hickory = Brick. Incredibly handsome, with four arms, green skin and dark violet hair styled in a cowlick. Wears a vest made from orange leaves and black pants. Uses he/they pronouns. Music style based on early Elvis. Also sounds like Elvis. 

Branch + Barb = Screech. (This fusion is strictly platonic, I wouldn’t ship these two if you paid me.) Dark blue skin, four eyes, gigantic indigo mohawk. Wears black leather jeans and denim vest. Inspired by the SU fusion Sugalite. Uses the pronoun It. Warlike berserker. Song styling is Goth Rock. 

Barb + Hickory = Studly. (I can picture these two as friends) Goat centaur with light orange skin, shaggy red hair that covers his eyes, and two left arms. Wears a brown vest and studded wristbands. Hunky stud. Uses he/they pronouns. Very Tarzan-like, even speaks in third person. Grows more savage the longer they’re fused.  Song style (surprisingly) is Tibetan Throat Singing

Hickory + Poppy + Branch = Blum. Something special for my favorite ship. Named after the German word for Flower. Beautiful deer centaur with brown skin, CYM streaked hair, three yellow eyes with pink petal eyelashes. Uses neopronouns ee/em/eir. Very kind and loving. Speaks in rhyme. Song styling is folk covers. 

[highbot710]

[murcielagatito]

idk how even to start this post bc wile im using miles morales as an example his actual comic race differs and this is the fault of people just straight up not understanding how race in regard to us puerto ricans works. and its all thanks to racism colorism and the depiction and representation of latinos in media

to fully understand this and how deeply we are affected we need to go alllll the way back to the beginning

its 1490whatever and cristobal colon has just discovered the americas. and on one particular island, boriken, he discovers a tribe, the tainos <3. we brought him gold and showed him kindness. and to make a long story short he fucked us over immensely. if we didnt bring meet his gold quota it was chopped off hands. he killed us he raped us he did countless atrocities. we were given a new name: puerto rico “rich port”. most americans know what happened to the many indigenous nations on the mainland but not many are taught about us the indigenous islanders. los tainos. we spanned across el caribe: jamaica, cuba, haiti, dominican republic and puerto rico (where im from!)

but dont get it twisted we didnt just roll over and take it. the very first freedom fighter, cacique (chief) hatuey fought with many other tainos to be liberated. unfortunately, he was executed in 1512 and that was that

one year later, in 1513, what imma call ‘phase two’ began. with him this time, colón brought enslaved africans to work the fields alongside tainos. its over for us. we are miserable, malnourished, and theres no escape. and as one does when youre live and work and die together, you love together. and love we did!

everyone who lived in puerto rico loved and loved and every combination possible of taino, african, and spaniard was born. and this has continued for 500 years. a caste was created. and that caste still hurts and affects us to this day. because all it was is colorism and racism. and after seeing the horrid takes about latinos in the spiderverse fandom and beyond…. well here we are now because somebodys gotta say it

but hellbaby? why did you have to add all the history stuff?because the way miles’ family was portrayed could have been awesome representation for many afrolatinos. and they fumbled big time. its not bad representation so dont twist my words. it just could have been better

the representation of latino families in hollywood has always been a bit…. stereotypical. and not just sterotypical but homogenized and caricaturized. anyone remember george lopez (the show)? when someone thinks about latinos NOW, the household names are pedro pascal, gina rodriguez, or oscar isaac. pale people!!! and then as fame works, jenna ortega and all the other pasty latina biddies are who rise to fame and household name status. everyone recognizes them ofc

but what about gina torres, laz alonso, rosie perez, judy reyes, tatyana ali, selenis leyva, amara la negra and many more? how many of these actors can you recognize from name alone? did you know theyre all afrolatino? (and did you know theyre in extemely well known movies and tv?)

how many stories in television do you know in this day and age that have afrolatino characters whose latinidad isnt ignored? i can name one off the top of my head. monse from on my block. a show revolving latinos that was relentlessly made fun of. like i get it its a comedy and its funny and fun. but latinos may as well be synonymous with getting laughed at at this point and we are soooooo fucking tired of it

it all boils down to one simple message. the erasure of black and indigenousness from the latino community. “miles is latino because his mom is latina” “miles is black and latino” its not something you can put into two separate labels. miles is a black latino. he is afrolatino. and that means a lot of things for a lot of different people but until you can understand that black people can also just be latino we will always be stuck in this horrible era of people assuming that afrolatinos cant just literally be black hispanics…

when miles morales was first announced to be the protagonist of spiderverse so many rasict ass latinos were upset. “why does an afrolatino have to be the first representation we get of a latino spiderman?” and many other things like that were said about him. “well the reason hes latino is only because of his mom” and just like that, the knowledge of the existence of black people that have been latino for centuries has gone down the drain. a new (old) misconception was brought back to the surface and popularized. and its gutwrenching and heartbreaking and horrible. black latinos exist and miles morales is afropuertoriqueño

there are so many nuances when it comes to race and latinodad that ppl just dont bother learning more about and how racism and colorism plays into it. and it has had many negative effects to how real life afrolatinos and indijenolatinos are perceived and treated. we arent asking for the impossible we’re just asking for recognition and understanding

[intcritus]

strong opinions ahead. don't read, if you're not an adult.

this is about natlan. im really happy to see atleast some people of color in natlan. that makes me happy. because despite it all, natlan is based off a myriad of cultures that are predominately people of color. taino, polynesian, all of that is great. sure the skintones can use some work ( a lot ) but the influence of these cultures is prevalent and it's not up for debate about wanting to see representation for the cultures that are being used. im not willing to debate about that, at all. the influence of these cultures, in every nation is strong and yes, some of them are vastly mischaracterized but you don not have the right to tell someone they're wrong for being disappointed by this. we all would like to be represented, but especially people of color.

there's a connection to these cultures, whether in game form or not, that is important to people. whether im latino, black or maori, it feels amazing to see my culture in a game when for so long, i haven't. so let people have that. idk, but natlan is gorgeous and seeing the different tribes, seeing the rich culture that i wish there was more of in games like this is always important. thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[kemetic-dreams]

Children of the Ocean God – Head Flattening

Head flattening is a painless, gradual cranial modification procedure, which involved binding a newborn’s head between two wooden boards which were wrapped in a cloth which would be tightened by hand. The pressure of the boards, gently and consistently applied over time, would cause the child’s forehead to elongate, creating a nearly flat silhouette extending from the tip of the infant’s nose to the crown of their head. It is also important to note that head flattening appears to have had no adverse effect on a child’s mental development. Black Caribs were indeed widely reputed to be very crafty huntsmen as well as highly skilled military strategists, both of which suggest that they knew how to put their noggins to use.

Head flattening was practiced by the Black Carib women (many of whom were Arawak) since flat, backwards sloping foreheads were seen as a sign of beauty and perfection. However, they were also other ancillary benefits, in particular for their sons, who would later become warriors. The Black Caribs, as well as other Amerindian tribes, believed that a flat forehead was advantageous in combat since if an arrow struck their head it would bounce back harmlessly. Another added benefit is that flat foreheads were supposed to better able to withstand blows from enemy war clubs.

Interestingly many Europeans who observed the practice of head flattening found it very barbaric and abusive, especially since mothers applied it to their fragile newborns infants. Ironically, in Black Carib culture head flattening was actually seen as a sign of good parenting by a loving mother.

The practice of head flattening was not unique to the Black Caribs and other Amerindian tribes in the Caribbean, such as the Arawaks. In fact, it was widely practiced in the Americas (e.g., by the Mayans and Incas) as well as in other geographies around the world including Europe (e.g., France, western Russia and Scandinavia ) and Central Asia. Intentional cranial modification predates written history and is in fact still practiced to this day in Vanuatu. This makes it one of the oldest continuously performed human customs. Fascinating stuff!

What is the Tainos appearance?

The Arawaks or the Tainos, as some of them were called, were not tall people; they were of medium height or short and generally slim. Christopher Columbus in his journals described them as neither African nor European. It is believed that they had an olive complexion. They also had long, straight, coarse black hair.

 The men wore loin cloths and married women wore a nagu , which was like a skirt. They painted their bodies with designs in bright colors.

The Taino people were polytheistic, worshiping a pantheon of many different gods, ancestors and spirits, which they called Zemi. The word zemi was also used to refer to icons and fetishes of the gods, most often made from carved rocks. Atabey was the Taino mother goddess, and goddess of freshwater.

Taíno spirituality centered on the worship of zemis (spirits or ancestors). Major Taíno zemis included Atabey and her son, Yúcahu. Atabey was thought to be the zemi of the moon, fresh waters, and fertility. Other names for her included Atabei, Atabeyra, Atabex, and Guimazoa. The Taínos of Kiskeya (Hispaniola) called her son, "Yúcahu|Yucahú Bagua Maorocotí", which meant "White Yuca, great and powerful as the sea and the mountains". He was considered the spirit of cassava, the zemi of cassava – the Taínos' main crop – and the sea.

Guabancex was the non-nurturing aspect of the zemi Atabey who was believed to have control over natural disasters. She is identified as the goddess of hurricanes or as the zemi of storms. Guabancex had twin sons: Guataubá, a messenger who created hurricane winds, and Coatrisquie, who created floodwaters.

Iguanaboína was the goddess of good weather. She also had twin sons: Boinayel, the messenger of rain, and Marohu, the spirit of clear skies

Taínos, a term coined by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1836.

Taíno is not a universally accepted denomination—it was not the name this people called themselves originally, and there is still uncertainty about their attributes and the boundaries of the territory they occupied.

The term nitaino or nitayno, from which "Taíno" derived, referred to an elite social class, not to an ethnic group. No 16th-century Spanish documents use this word to refer to the tribal affiliation or ethnicity of the natives of the Greater Antilles. The word tayno or taíno, with the meaning "good" or "prudent", was mentioned twice in an account of Columbus's second voyage by his physician, Diego Álvarez Chanca, while in Guadeloupe. José R. Oliver writes that the Natives of Borinquén, who had been captured by the Caribs of Guadeloupe and who wanted to escape on Spanish ships to return home to Puerto Rico, used the term to indicate that they were the "good men", as opposed to the Caribs.

Contrarily, according to Peter Hulme, most translators appear to agree that the word taino was used by Columbus's sailors, not by the islanders who greeted them, although there is room for interpretation. The sailors may have been saying the only word they knew in a native Caribbean tongue, or perhaps they were indicating to the "commoners" on the shore that they were taíno, i.e., important people, from elsewhere and thus entitled to deference. If taíno was being used here to denote ethnicity, then it was used by the Spanish sailors to indicate that they were "not Carib", and gives no evidence of self-identification by the native people.

According to José Barreiro, a direct translation of the word "Taíno" signified "men of the good". The Taíno people, or Taíno culture, have been classified by some authorities as belonging to the Arawak. Their language is considered to have belonged to the Arawak language family, the languages of which were historically present throughout the Caribbean, and much of Central and South America.

In 1871, early ethnohistorian Daniel Garrison Brinton referred to the Taíno people as the "Island Arawak", expressing their connection to the continental peoples. Since then, numerous scholars and writers have referred to the indigenous group as "Arawaks" or "Island Arawaks". However, contemporary scholars (such as Irving Rouse and Basil Reid) have recognized that the Taíno developed a distinct language and culture from the Arawak of South America.

Taíno society was divided into two classes: naborias (commoners) and nitaínos (nobles). They were governed by male chiefs known as caciques, who inherited their position through their mother's noble line. (This was a matrilineal kinship system, with social status passed through the female lines.) The nitaínos functioned as sub-caciques in villages, overseeing the work of naborias. Caciques were advised by priests/healers known as bohíques. Caciques enjoyed the privilege of wearing golden pendants called guanín, living in square bohíos, instead of the round ones of ordinary villagers, and sitting on wooden stools to be above the guests they received. Bohíques were extolled for their healing powers and ability to speak with deities. They were consulted and granted the Taíno permission to engage in important tasks

The Taíno had a matrilineal system of kinship, descent, and inheritance. Spanish accounts of the rules of succession for a chief are not consistent, and the rules of succession may have changed as a result of the disruptions to Taíno society that followed the Spanish intrusion.

Some Taíno practiced polygamy. Men, and sometimes women, might have two or three spouses. Ramón Pané, a Catholic friar who traveled with Columbus on his second voyage and was tasked with learning the indigenous people's language and customs, wrote in the 16th century that caciques tended to have two or three wives and the principal ones had as many as 10, 15, or 20.

The Taíno lived in settlements called yucayeques, which varied in size depending on the location.

The Taíno played a ceremonial ball game called batey. Opposing teams had 10 to 30 players per team and used a solid rubber ball. Normally, the teams were composed of men, but occasionally women played the game as well. The Classic Taíno played in the village's center plaza or on especially designed rectangular ball courts called batey. Games on the batey are believed to have been used for conflict resolution between communities.

Taíno spoke an Arawakan language and used an early form of proto-writing in the form of petroglyph,as found in Taíno archeological sites in the West Indies.

Some words they used, such as barbacoa ("barbecue"), hamaca ("hammock"), kanoa ("canoe"), tabaco ("tobacco"), sabana (savanna), and juracán ("hurricane"), have been incorporated into other languages.